1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for blocking a vehicle such as a truck. Such devices are generally used in practice to block a truck during loading and unloading thereof, for instance at a loading-unloading station of a distribution centre.
2. Description of Related Art
Devices for blocking trucks are per se known and are for instance described in EP 1 120 371 and EP 0 684 915. The blocking device known herefrom makes use of a drive to displace a carriage over a guide track. As soon as the truck is positioned correctly relative to the loading-unloading station a blocking means is extended and/or displaced in order to hold the rear wheel of the truck therewith and make driving or rolling away impossible. Such blocking devices are relatively complex due to the number of parts required, and particularly the drives required.
A blocking device is also known from NL 2004466. The blocking device known herefrom makes use of displacing means to displace a carriage from a first rest position to a second blocking position, wherein use is made of an energy storage system such that energy produced by the first vehicle as it drives away can be used to displace the carriage for a second vehicle.
A problem occurring in practice with blocking devices is the great variation in vehicles which can occur. Different vehicles have different wheel diameters. The blocking device does not therefore operate optimally for all vehicles, whereby locations provided with a blocking device, such as at a distribution centre, cannot be employed with full flexibility for all types of vehicle.